Locals debate presidential choice

Tables of five discussed their thoughts on views of both President Barack Obama and Republican hopeful Mitt Romney.

“I am really just disillusioned by the whole thing,” Grand Haven voter Suzy King said. “It seems like nothing gets done and there is no cooperation.”

King said she didn’t think either candidate has talked in-depth about the issues, and thought they were just doing a lot of "grandstanding." She hopes the upcoming debates would change her mind.

“They’re too indebted to corporations and money," King said. "Their hands are tied in a lot of ways. It’s not what the public thinks, it’s who gives them the most money.”

King said she is cynical about what the public could do to make any significant change.

“Other than voting, I don’t know what to do,” she said. “We don’t seem to be able to work together lately.”

King said she is also concerned about the environment and where the candidates stand on those types of issues.

“If we don’t take care of the Earth, there is nothing,” she said. “I have great-grandchildren, and I don’t know what kind of world this is going to be when they grow up.”

Ferrysburg resident Harold Porter said he also has concerns with whoever is elected president. He said he's especially concerned with women’s issues.

“It’s a really hard question that many women must be facing,” he said, noting that he didn’t want to see society revert to when women didn’t have control of choices to their bodies.

Grand Haven Township resident Laird Schafer said he's concerned about the power the candidates think they may have.

“I think both candidates think they can control what is going to happen in the next four years after the election,” he said. “They cannot simply do what they want to do.”

Schafer said whoever wins still has to go through the proper governmental procedures to get things done, and can’t simply follow through on campaign promises.

“Neither candidate has realized that they have to cooperate with the other branches of government,” Schafer said. “We have three branches of government, and the fact that neither one realizes the limits of the office they are running for is scary.”